Marriage, Murder & Magic- [OMINIS GAUNT]

Chapter 9- Found

"Sebastian, what are you doing here?" I asked.

He was hard to see; and parts of him had changed, I could tell. But I would recognize that voice anywhere. In his usual smart self-confident manner, he said, "Saving your life, apparently. Couldn't stay alive a whole week without me, could you?"

My head was spinning. "Y-you were expelled-"

"I know. I can't explain right now." He peered down the corridor. "Damn. It looks like whoever was there got away."

"That's impossible." There was no exit on that end of the hall. "I need to investigate-"

Sebastian stopped me. He had a firm grip on my arm, likely knowing that I would run off into danger again if I could. "Prisma, wait. Your nose is broken."

I had completely forgotten about that. "I need to go after them. They- they killed Morgana-"

It hit me for real this time.

Morgana was dead.

Suddenly, everything hurt. Not just my nose, but my head, and my heart, and my damned shin that I cut on the stairs. I broke into a sob.

"Come here," Sebastian took my face in his hands. "Let me heal that broken nose. Episkey."

Getting a broken nose healed instantly was about as pleasant as stepping on a nail. But it was over quickly. Next, he fixed my glasses.

"Thank you." With my eyesight righted again, I could see Sebastian. He had cut his hair. Nevertheless, it didn't make sense why he was able to save me, nor why he even wanted to. I was part of the reason why he was expelled. He should hate me.

Before I could ask him this very question, we heard the sound of many feet quickly coming down the steps. It was Professor Weasley, along with Professor Black, and Ominis.

"What in the name of Godric Gryffindor is happening here?" Professor Weasley asked, appalled. When she saw Morgana's body, she nearly shrieked.

"Ominis-" I tried to warn him not to look, but it was too late. Ominis had his wand out, and had already seen everything.

His voice was like crumpled tissue paper.

"Morgana?"

Slowly, Ominis walked over to her body. No one said anything when his shoes stepped in a puddle of her blood. He removed his cloak and placed it over her remains.

"Who did this?" Headmaster Black demanded. He could hardly bring himself to look.

"I didn't see," I said.

"Neither did I," Sebastian added. "The attacker stayed in the shadows, and fled before we could go after them."

Ominis's attention immediately snapped to Sebastian. "You. You did this. You killed her!"

His wand was out, and ready to do something terrible, to hurt Sebastian as much as he was hurting right now. I stepped between them.

"Sebastian did not do this. He stopped the attacker from killing me as well," I said.

"And just what were you two doing down here in the first place?" Professor Weasley asked. She sounded a little too accusatory for my taste, as if she were implying we had been down here to sneak away with each other.

"Mr. Sallow," Headmaster Black said disapprovingly, "Less than an hour back in the castle and already you're violating the conditions of your return."

"Maybe you missed it, but I saved her life," he seethed.

"Please, let me explain," I said. I described everything; the scream, arriving after Morgana had already been killed, the broken nose, and Sebastian saving me from suffering the same fate as my friend. Professor Weasley and Headmaster Black believed me, but were left quite confused as to who could have done such an awful thing, and then disappeared.

Headmaster Black cast lumos and walked to the end of the dark stone hall. Everyone held their breath as he went further and further into the darkness, farther than anyone's eyes could see.

He called out to us. "Did you see a murder weapon?"

"A sword," I yelled back.

Headmaster Black returned. In his hands, was the sword, covered in blood. "It was left in the hands of a statue," he said. "But there's no trace of anybody."

"How did they get away?" I demanded. "Is there a secret passageway, or hidden room, or-"

"We will have to investigate." Professor Weasley clapped once. "Deek!"

Deek, the sweet House Elf, appeared. "Yes?"

"Deek, please assist me in securing this corridor. No- this entire wing. This is now a crime scene." Professor Weasley turned to me. "Prisma, come here, darling."

She gently wiped tears and blood from my cheeks. "I'm sorry you had to witness such a horror. And after everything you've gone through... I'm afraid I can't let you return to Ravenclaw Tower alone tonight. It's not safe."

"I will escort her," said Sebastian.

"No, I will escort her," objected Ominis.

"No one is going back to their common rooms until the professors are able to do a headcount," Professor Weasley decided. "You three will come with me."